Stoudemire close to being a Cavalier!!

[celticinorlando]

Having Nash on your team doesnt quite equate to having Lebron though. Granted Nash is a very good player  but he is nowhere near the player Lebron is. If this deal goes down and Z returns via a buyout then Cleveland has to be the favorite to win the title. I am not sure that Danny could even counter that move with what we can trade.

Agreed.  Lebron is in his own class.  I was more pointing out that Stoudemire might not improve them as much as everyone thinks.

Unless the Cavs change their offense I don't see Stoudemire being as effective as he is in Phoenix.  Stoudemire isn't a defensive stopper and won't be able to stop Gasol, Bynum, Garnett, Perk or Wallace down low.  And he's not going to put up 20 a game for the Cavs if Lebron keeps dominating the ball.  Having Z as a backup center is one of their biggest strenghts going against L.A.  If he doesn't re-sign it will be much tougher beating the Lakers, if they ever get healthy.

This does allow them to be a better running team though.  That was their biggest weakness.

This all being said, my money would be on the Cavs to win it all.  Kobe's health will probably be the main factor in who wins the championship.  And right now I doubt he'll be 100% in June, if he even makes it that far.

they have already said Z will be bought out by the suns and he will return to the cavs. so basically you are giving up JJ Hickson for an all star.

[Chief]

This is discouraging.

[Rondo_is_better]

What kind of absurd, economically driven B.S. is that?

[celticinorlando]

suns want teams to take richardson with amare....cavs looking for a third team now:




By BOB FINNAN
rfinnan@MorningJournal.com

Talks are heating up in Dallas this weekend between the Cavaliers and Suns centering on forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire.

A source said the Suns want whatever team that trades for the 6-foot-10, 249-pound Stoudemire to also take guard Jason Richardson.

That might be why the Cavs haven't pulled the trigger on such a deal.

It's also why a third team might need to be included in such a trade.

Stoudemire, 27, is making $16.4 million this season and owns a player option on his 2010-11 contract worth $17.7 million. Richardson checks in at $13.3 million this season and $14.4 next year.

Taking Richardson's contract could be a major sticking point for the Cavs and other teams.

[winsomme]

suns want teams to take richardson with amare....cavs looking for a third team now:




By BOB FINNAN
rfinnan@MorningJournal.com

Talks are heating up in Dallas this weekend between the Cavaliers and Suns centering on forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire.

A source said the Suns want whatever team that trades for the 6-foot-10, 249-pound Stoudemire to also take guard Jason Richardson.

That might be why the Cavs haven't pulled the trigger on such a deal.

It's also why a third team might need to be included in such a trade.

Stoudemire, 27, is making $16.4 million this season and owns a player option on his 2010-11 contract worth $17.7 million. Richardson checks in at $13.3 million this season and $14.4 next year.

Taking Richardson's contract could be a major sticking point for the Cavs and other teams.

Now this makes more sense...

[greg_kite]

suns want teams to take richardson with amare....cavs looking for a third team now:




By BOB FINNAN
rfinnan@MorningJournal.com

Talks are heating up in Dallas this weekend between the Cavaliers and Suns centering on forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire.

A source said the Suns want whatever team that trades for the 6-foot-10, 249-pound Stoudemire to also take guard Jason Richardson.

That might be why the Cavs haven't pulled the trigger on such a deal.

It's also why a third team might need to be included in such a trade.

Stoudemire, 27, is making $16.4 million this season and owns a player option on his 2010-11 contract worth $17.7 million. Richardson checks in at $13.3 million this season and $14.4 next year.

Taking Richardson's contract could be a major sticking point for the Cavs and other teams.

Ray, Scal, Tony, and Giddens for Stoudemire and Richardson?  That would definitely improve the team.  I would do it.  Richardson basically replaces Ray.  And the Suns save 4 mil THIS year, which could actually save them 8 mil if they're over the luxury tax.

[perks-a-beast]

so phoenix basically traded shaq, and amare (two hall of famers) to the cavs for cap relief, JJ Hickson, and a late 1st rounder. Can someone explain this to me? I really don't understand. Do they really think they're going to lure a big name free agent to phoenix with a 37 year old point guard and jj hickson?

JJ Hickson has to be the most over valued player in the history of professional sports

[Kane3387]

Sorry but if Cleveland pulls this off it's over. Celveland already looks like they could possibly be unbeatable with Moa and Delonte out. Now you want to add them back healthy plus Amare freggin Stoudemire. Shut it down honestly. I would do Perk Ray and Scal for Amare and J Rich. If we wanted to get in on this young talent has to go and Perk is the only option. I doubt Phoenix wants him though since he doesn't exactly fit their system.

[GreenFaith1819]

This is just my opinion, but Stoudemire to Cavs doesn't scare me. Yes the man is a talented scorer, but to me he isn't a Stopper.

I think you would have essentially have a similar situation like PHX had when Shaq and Stat were together....for whatever reasons that didn't work, either.

I'd still take a hungry, consistent Celtics Team over a CLE team with Stoudemire...any day.

Oh and Congrats to our Captain for his Three-Point contest win!!

[Eja117]

I think this deal epitomizes the problems with the NBA's labor situation. This is a complete fleecing, on a talent level, by Cleveland (approaching the level of the Gasol deal). They get a near-max, All-Star caliber player, for the last pick in the 1st round and a guy who gets 15/9 per 40 minutes and is a completely unproven commodity. It was extremely unlikely that the C's could defeat Cleveland before the trade...and now...yikes. Let's hope we get it together after the break and have health going into April/May. Anything else is gravy.

I was thinking something similar. If this happens my advice to DA is to try to trade crud for all stars, because between this and Pau I guess that's what trading is in the NBA now.

I saw something on espn today that said Stern says the NBA lost 400 million this year. Besides that i don't believe him I don't see how a Pho thinks they're going to sell tix and hats if they put a cruddy cruddy team on the floor. They've been selling their championship chances for years. Now they're selling their respectability too. What joke team.

In the words of Patton. America loves a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Hear that Pho? America hates you

[hooray]

What kind of absurd, economically driven B.S. is that?

umm pretty much the same economically driven BS that brough KG to boston.  big salary dump with a young talent.  ratliff = ilgauskas, jefferson = hickson.

[Chris]

I wonder what broke down with Miami.  Supposedly they REALLY wanted to get Amare, and they could offer more.

Oh well, this just means that we need to pray for a complete chemistry breakdown in Cleveland, since adding Amare to that core make them nearly unstoppable if they click.

[Jon]

If that happens, that is bad news.

However, before we get carried away in any doom and gloom scenarios, let me also say that if Amare Stoudemire was even half the player that his stats would suggest he is, Phoenix would not be perennially missing the playoffs/getting knocked out in the first round. 

For the amount of minutes he plays/time he spends around the basket/shots the Suns put up, he's a horrendous rebounder.  Calling him a matador on defense is an understatement.  Moreover, Shaq + Amare + a very good surrounding cast in Phoenix including two-time MVP Steve Nash couldn't even make the playoffs last year.  I'm not sure why Shaq, Amare, and LeBron is all that much scarier. 

[ms12]

is it me or does it seem like teams (mainly phoenix) just give away their players to cleveland?

[celticsclay]

suns want teams to take richardson with amare....cavs looking for a third team now:




By BOB FINNAN
rfinnan@MorningJournal.com

Talks are heating up in Dallas this weekend between the Cavaliers and Suns centering on forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire.

A source said the Suns want whatever team that trades for the 6-foot-10, 249-pound Stoudemire to also take guard Jason Richardson.

That might be why the Cavs haven't pulled the trigger on such a deal.

It's also why a third team might need to be included in such a trade.

Stoudemire, 27, is making $16.4 million this season and owns a player option on his 2010-11 contract worth $17.7 million. Richardson checks in at $13.3 million this season and $14.4 next year.

Taking Richardson's contract could be a major sticking point for the Cavs and other teams.

Ray, Scal, Tony, and Giddens for Stoudemire and Richardson?  That would definitely improve the team.  I would do it.  Richardson basically replaces Ray.  And the Suns save 4 mil THIS year, which could actually save them 8 mil if they're over the luxury tax.

I would love that deal so much. If only i was reading it confirmed on espn instead of here